§ 4-b. Chief disability officer. 1. Persons with disabilities comprise
a major segment of the state of New York's population and their
particular needs and concerns must be considered as an integral part of
the planning and implementation of all state programs and services
affecting their lives and well-being. The office of the chief disability
officer shall advocate on behalf of persons with disabilities and ensure
that persons with disabilities are afforded the opportunity to exercise
all of the rights and responsibilities accorded to citizens of this
state.

2. For purposes of this article:

(a) "Persons with disabilities" shall mean any person who has a
disability as defined in subdivision twenty-one of section two hundred
ninety-two of this chapter.

(b) "State agency" or "state agencies" shall mean any state
department, board, bureau, division, commission, committee, public
authority, public corporation, council, office or other governmental
entity performing a governmental or proprietary function for the state,
except the judiciary or the state legislature.

3. (a) The governor shall appoint a chief disability officer. The
chief disability officer shall advise and assist state agencies in
developing policies designed to help meet the needs of persons with
disabilities. The chief disability officer shall be appointed by the
governor and receive a salary to be fixed by the governor within the
amounts appropriated therefor.

(b) The chief disability officer shall: (i) be the state's coordinator
for the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act; (ii)
coordinate state activities to ensure that state programs do not
discriminate against and are accessible to persons with disabilities;
(iii) ensure that such programs provide services to individuals with
disabilities in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs;
and (iv) work with state agencies to develop legislation and potential
regulatory changes to help effectuate the duties and responsibilities
required in this article, and any other changes that may significantly
affect the lives of persons with disabilities in the state.

(c) The chief disability officer shall, to the extent practicable,
review and report to the governor upon proposed legislation and
regulations. The chief disability officer shall submit comments, where
appropriate, to the state agency which referred such proposed
legislation and regulations evaluating: (i) the impact of the proposed
legislation or regulation upon persons with disabilities; (ii) the
relationship and impact of such proposed legislation or regulation on
existing programs affecting persons with disabilities; and (iii) any
modifications that would help persons with disabilities or aid in the
implementation of the new proposal. All state agencies shall cooperate
with the chief disability officer to ensure that the chief disability
officer is able to fulfill the requirements under this section.